All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has explained the decision to start Beauden Barrett ahead of Damien McKenzie at flyhalf for the second Bledisloe Test in Wellington this weekend.
Damian McKenzie started in the No. 10 jersey for the All Blacks in every Test in 2024, but now Barrett gets to wear the jersey for the first time since 2022.
Robertson says that McKenzie has had a great season and the reason for the benching was pre-planned, but McKenzie will still have a role play to help the All Blacks finish strong, which has been an issue this year.
He says there are areas of this game McKenzie can get better and he has created a lot for them with one of the highest line breakers in the competition.
He adds McKenzie can wave a wand and take a gap and also come on and then manage what the All Blacks need to do to finish the match.
The All Blacks will play the Wallabies at 7.05pm tomorrow in the last round of the Rugby Championship competition.
Meanwhile, the decider of the Rugby Championship winner between the Springboks and Argentina will be played at 3am Sunday.
[Source: RugbyPass]
